Garment rack



R. R. RUHNKE.

GARMENT RACK May 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 11, 1958 R. R.RUHNKE May 23, 1961 GARMENT RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. l1, 1958May 23, 1961 R. R. RUHNKE 2,985,316

GARMENT RACK Filed Sept. 1l, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. R. RUHNKE GARMENTRACK May 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. l1, 1958 WMU Hummm ly-llllllllmlllmllln I l a umm United States Patent OF GARR/[ENT RACKRichard R. Ruhnke, Skokie, Ill., assignor to Garden CityV Filed Sept.11, 1958, Ser. No. 760,350

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-178) The invention relates to collapsible racks andis more particularly concerned with a display rack of acharacter thatcan be quickly set up rigidly for use, and -Which may be easilycollapsed and yfolded compactly for shipment or storage.

The rack herein disclosed is primarily intended for use as a displayrack for merchandise, such |as garments, and when set up, it provides anattractive strong durablestructure. capable of supporting a considerableload. The rack may be easily and quickly collapsed into a compact'folded condition so as to require minimum storage or shipping space. Inaccordance with the present invention the rack comprises a pair ofsubstantially like end frames each preferably Iformed -of square tubularstock and connected one to the other by a pair of articulated brace barstructures extending between them. When the.

rack is set up for use, the brace bar structures are detachablyconnected to each other so las to `form an X-shaped brace between theupstanding end frames.` j Additional rigidity is afforded the set uprack structure by rails `detachably secured to the upper ends of theVend frames and extending longitudinally of the rack.

More specifically, each of the brace structures` cornprises a pair ofsquare tubular bars arranged substantially end to end but at an angularrelation one to the other and interconnected at their opposed ends by anovel hinge assembly. The free ends of the brace bars are hingedlyconnected to the respective end frames. assembly includes novel meansadapted to be detachably interlocked when the rack is set up, so as toalford a rigid connection between both brace bar structures and therebyretain the end yframes rigidly braced in spaced relation.

The rails are then arranged to bridge the space between the end framesand are detachably secured at their ends 'to the upper ends of therespective frames to increase rigidity of the assembly and alford meansfrom which garment hangers or the like may be suspended.

In order to collapse the r-ack for shipment or storage,

the rails are removed and the hinge assemblieson they respective bracebar structures are disconnected. The two end frames may then be movedtoward one 'another into close association with both brace barstructures lfolded compactly between the end frames.

The structure by means of which the above noted andf set up condition; f

Fig. is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the rack partially disassembledand in condition to be collapsed;

Each hinge:

Fig. 4 is a -front elevational view of the rack locked in Patented May23, 1961 ICC Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the rack in conditionfor use; f

lFig. 7 is an end elevational view of the rack partially disassembled,as shown in Fig. 5; i

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the assembled rack, partly' broken away;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the hinge assemblies;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the hingeassemblies, showing them interlocked as when the rack is in use;

Fig. 1'1 is a view similar to Fig. 10, showing the hinge assembliesseparated as when the rack is partially col' lapsed;

Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective View of the hinge connection betweenone of the brace bars and an end' iframe; and f Fig. 13 is an explodedperspective View, of the hinge connection between another of the bracebars and an end frame.

Referring now to the rack structure which is best illusf adjacent totheir upper and lower ends by transverse connecting bars 14 and 15,respectively, which preferably Iare welded in place. Each upstanding bar13 has a rigid pin 16 projecting upwardly from its top end Afora purposeto be described presently. f Y

When the rack is set up for use, end `frames 11 and 12 are held spacedapart rigidly by means of novel hingedly connected collapsible brace barstructures, indicatedgenerally -at 17 and 18, which extend between theend frames in the m-anner shown and are detachably connected to eachother in the form of an X by novel interlocking hinge assemblies 19 and21 forming a part of the brace bar structures 17 and 18, respectively.In order to collapse the rack, the interlocking hinge assemblies 19 and21 aredisconnected and the end frames are then Yfree to be moved towardeach other. During this movement the collapsible brace bar structures 17and 18 will overlap and -fold compactly between the end frames asillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

More specically, brace bar structure 17 comprises a pair of squaretubular bars 22-23 hingedly connected end to end by hinge assembly 19.The free ends of saidv As illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, hingeassembly 19,

connecting brace bar 22 with bar Z3, comprises a sheet metal band havingparallel side walls 27 and downwardly' inwardly inclined end walls 28.The related end of link bar 23 is extended through the band, and at oneend.

thereof, a distance suicient to locate its open end 29 substantially inthe plane of thebottom edge of said band and secured thereto as bywelding. The companion brace bar 22 is extended into the band adjacentto its other end and it carries firmly thereon a hinge element`31 whichreceives a pintle pin 32 journaled at its ends in side walls 27 so as tobe hingedly connected to said band.

The other brace bar structure 18 is substantially like structure 17 andit is comprised of two square tubular brace bars 33 and 34. .Each bar33, 34 is hingedly Vconnected at one of its ends to the lower transverseconnecting bar 15 of the respective end frames 11 and 12. The specificconnectinghinge structure for each bar is best illustrated in Fig. 12.As. shown, the connected end of brace bar 33 carries a bracket 35 havingspaced ears 36 hingedly connected by a pintle pin 37 to ears 38 of abracket 39 secured, as by welding, to the lower transverse end lframebar 15.

The other or opposed ends of brace `bars 33, 34 are interconnected byhinge assembly 21 (Figs. l0` and 11) which is substantially identical inits structure to assembly 19 described hereinabove and therefore has itsparts identiied by corresponding numerals. It should be observedhowever, that hinge assembly 21 is in a reversed position as compared tohinge assembly 19 and that a square dowel rod 41 is secured in anysuitable manner, as, for example, by welding, within the attached end ofb-ar 33 and it projects outwardly therefrom. When the rack is set up foruse, the dowel rod or post 41 is extended into the open end or socket 29of brace bar 23, as shown in Fig. 10. Interlocking of the hingeassemblies locates the bars 22, 23 in registering alignment with bars34, 33, respectively, soas to afford a very rigid brace structure.

When the rack is partiallyror wholly collapsed, the disconnected hingeassemblies 19 and 21 are out of registering alignment. This is effectedby offsetting the brace bar structure 17 laterally with respect to thebar structure 18. Such offsetting is accomplished in the presentdisclosure, by laterallyrolisetting both hinge brackets 39 in onedirection from the center of lateral bars 15, a distance substantiallyequal to one-half of the width of the link bars 22-23 and 33-34. Bothhinge brackets 24 are offset the same distance in the opposite directionfrom the center of lateral -bar 14, to provide a total lateraldisplacement equal to the width of each link bar 22-23 or 3-3-34 toprovide clearance for folding the brace bar structures when the rack iscollapsed. This offsetting is best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 and, asa result thereof, interengagement of dowel rod 41 with the open end 29of brace bar 23 is effected by forcibly urging the hinge assemblieslaterally toward each other until dowel rod 41 is aligned with andenters said open en'd -29-` The forcible displacement of the brace barstructures required to affect such engagement is effective to providemaximum frictional binding between the engaged portions to resistseparation.

In order to permit collapse of the rack, hinge assemblies 19 and 21 aredisconnected one from the other preferably by rocking either or both endframes 11, 12 outwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, sufficiently to permitdowel rod 41 to be withdrawn from its engaged socket. The end frames maythen be carried toward one another, and in so doing, the brace b-arstructures 17, 18 are collapsed between the end frames.

Utmost rigidity is afforded the set up rack assembly by means of rails42 each of which is fabricated from round tubular stock and is aperturedat its ends to receive the upstanding pins 16 on end frames 11, 12 whensaid rails are extended between said end frames and seated over saidpins. The rails `afford suitable means from which garment hangers or thelike may be suspended.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described inconsiderable detail hereinabove, it will be understood that thedescription thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather thanrestrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changedwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact constructiondisclosed.

I claim: p

1. In a rack, a pair of spaced apart end frames, a first set of bracebars extending between said end frames, a hinge assembly connecting saidbrace bars end to end, hinge means connecting one bar to each end frame,a second set of brace bars extending between said vend frames, a hingeassembly connecting said second set of brace bars end to end, hingemeans connecting one b-ar of said second set to each end frame, thebrace bars of the first set Vextending angularly downwardly towards thebrace bars of the second set, a socket in one hinge assembly, saidsocket extending axially of one of the brace barsof said rst set, and apost on the otherV hinge assembly, said hinge assemblies being movablelaterally relative to each other to align said post and said socket,whereby said post is engageable in said socket to inter- 'lock the firstset of brace bars to the second set of brace bars and to hold said hingeassemblies in vertical alignment.

2. In -a rack, a pairof spaced apart end frames, a first set of bracebars hingedly connected end to end and extending between said endiframes, hinge means connecting one bar to each end frame, a second setof brace bars hingedly connected end to end and extending between saidend frames, hinge means connecting one bar of said second set of bars toeach endV frame, said first set of brace bars kconverging downwardlytoward the second set of bars and said second set o-f` brace barsvconverging upwardly toward the first set of brace bars, said sets ofbrace bars being laterally offset from a common vertical plane, andmeans permanently fixed to one of said hinge connections extending inthe Vertical plane of said one hinge connection 'and engageable in theother hinge Vconnection to provide a rigid detachable joint between saidhinge connections and to hold said hinge connections in verticalalignment.

. hingedly connected to each end frame, a second set 0f 3. Ina rack, apair of spaced apart upstandingend frames, a first set of hingedlyconnected 4brace bars extendingbetween said end frames, one of said barsbeing hingedly connected brace bars extending between said end frames,one bar of. said second set being hingedly connected to each end frame,said sets of brace bars each being offset from a common vertical plane,said braces Y i having sufficient l-ateral play to permit the hingeconnections of one set of brace bars to be moved into verticalValignment with the hinge connections of said other set of brace bars,and means projecting in a Vertical plane from the hinge connectionbetween one set of brace bars to engage the hinge connection betweenlthe other set of brace bars to form a rigid joint between said hingeconnections when said hinge connections are moved laterally intovertical alignment.

4. In a rack, a pair of like upstanding end frames, a first set of bracebars hingedly connected to opposite end frames, each of said barsextending inwardly towards the other, a hinge assembly joining opposedends of said bars, a second set of brace b-ars hingedly connected toopposite frames, each bar of said second set extending in- I wardlytowards the other, a hinge assembly joining opposed ends of said secondset of bars, said sets of brace bars being offset from a common verticalplane a distance substantially equal to half the thickness of one ofsaid bars, said hinge assemblies having suflicient lateral play topermit movement thereof into vertical alignment, and means tointerconnect the hinge assemblies to rigidly secure the two sets ofbrace bars with said hinge assemblies in vertical alignment.

5. A 'rack assembly comprising, a pair of spaced apart upstandingsubstantially rectangular end frames, a pair of upper brace barspivotally connected to theV upper region of each end frame, a pair oflower brace bars pivotally connected to the lower region of each endframe, means hingedly connecting the upper pair of brace bars togetherin a substantially V-shaped assembly, means hingedly connecting thelower pair of brace bars together in an inverted substantially V-shapedassembly, said pairs of brace bars being offset relative to each other,said V-shaped assemblies having suiicient lateral play to permitmovement thereofl into vertical alignment, and disengageable meansconnecting said assemblies together substantiallil at their apexes toprovide a rigid brace structure for rigidly holding said end framesspaced apart, said disengageable means comprising a vertically disposedsocket in one of said assemblies and a vertically disposed projectionextending from said other assembly in alignment with said socket.

6. A a rack comprising a pair of upstanding end members and a pair ofoppositely directed V-shaped members connecting said end members, eachof said V-shaped members comprising a -par of brace bars, each of saidbrace bars being pivotally connected at its outer end to one of said endmembers, the brace bars of each V-shaped member being pivotallyinterconnected at their meeting ends to provide oppositely disposedyapexes on said V-shaped members, said V-shaped members havingsuffxcient lateral play to permit said apexes to be manually moved intolaterally olset relationship or into vertical alignment, said endmembers being movable toward each other to collapse said rack forshipment or storage when said V-shaped members are in laterally offsetrelationship, said V-shaped members having means adapted to beinterengaged when said apexes :are in vertical alignment to hold saidV-shaped members against accidental separation `and to prevent collapseof said rack.

7. A hinged brace bar assembly comprising, in combination, a pair ofbrace bars arranged end to end, a substantially rectangular bandincluding parallel side Walls and inwardly inclined end Walls, one ofsaid brace bars extending between the side Walls of said band and havingsurface abutment with one end Wall thereof, means securing said bar tothe band firmly, a hinge element on one end of the other brace bar, saidend being extended between said side Walls adjacent to the other end ofthe band, and a pintle pin extending through the hinge element andbridging the side Walls for pivotally connecting the second brace bar tothe band, said second brace bar having surface engagement with theinside face of the other end Wall when in one position of use.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,471Wanamaker Aug. 16, 1910 20 2,469,232 Kennedy May 3, 1949 2,480,702Bradford Aug. 30, 1949 2,557,262 Cordes June 19, 19511 2,828,932 De PewApr. 1, 1958 2,852,145 Scholz Sept. 16, 1958

